Before joining the cigar industry, Aaron Paoletta did it all. He toured with his band, ran a record label, and cooked at Five Diamond resorts. Every experience helped prepare him to create his own cigar brand. Adam Paoletta, founder of LaVega Cigars, stays ready for whatever life throws his way. He spoke with Cigar Life Guy about his love for the creative process, the fellowship of the cigar community, and how LaVega started with the taste of beef jerky.
First Premium Cigar Experience
Cigar Life Guy: Tell me about your first premium cigar experience.
Aaron Paoletta: I’ve got to go back in time for this one. I’ll be 42 years old this year, so we’re going back to 2002. There was a local shop in downtown Sharon, Pennsylvania, which is still there under different ownership. I first visited when the original owner, George, was running the shop. I remember lighting up an Arturo Fuente Chateau Maduro and being amazed by its rich flavor and smooth profile. The lounge was filled with seasoned regulars, adding to the welcoming, old-school atmosphere. That’s what drew me in.
Life Before the Cigar Industry
Cigar Life Guy: You have been a chef, a musician, and the owner of a record label. How did you get involved in the cigar industry?
Aaron Paoletta: I’ve been smoking cigars since I was eighteen. When I worked as a chef in Las Vegas, I didn’t have much time to enjoy myself or visit lounges. I went, but not as often as I do now. When I moved back to Pennsylvania in April of 2017, I had more time because I wasn’t in that industry anymore. My band was on its way out the door. I found myself smoking more cigars, and the more I smoked, the more I enjoyed them.
My video podcast opened the door for me to attend an event. We ended up producing four seasons. At the Grand Resort in Warren, Ohio, I ran into the Casa Cuevas team, including Alec Cuevas and his father, Luis Cuevas Jr. During that time, Alec had just released the Sangre Nueva. He walked by, and I had just snipped a cap. I took a “try draw” and told my buddy Evan, who was with me, “Dude, this tastes like beef jerky.” Then Alec walked by, and I said, “Alec, can I stop you for a sec?” I asked him, “How did you get this to taste like beef jerky?” He looked at me and said, “I can’t believe you figured that out.” I told him my story. Three hours later, Alec, his father, and I shook hands, and La Vega Cigars was born.
That’s literally how fast it came together. That was September 22, 2022, and we officially went to market on May 11, 2023. That date is actually my grandmother’s birthday; she passed away.
How Other Endeavors Shaped Success in the Cigar Industry
Cigar Life Guy: How have those other endeavors helped inform your work in the cigar industry?
Aaron Paoletta: They’re huge. La Vega is the culmination of my life. La Vega is literally Las Vegas without the “s.” I dropped the “s,” smooshed the word together, and kept the “L” and the “V” capitalized to symbolize that. Without everything I learned in the culinary field, the music industry, my recording studio, and touring, I wouldn’t be able to function with LaVega.
Being a chef at those Five Diamond resorts and restaurants taught me how to properly prep and plan. Inventory is a big thing. That all came from my culinary experience and learning how to project what’s coming so I could stay stocked. I’m on an eight- to ten-week turnaround with my cigars, so I can’t just call and get them right away. I learned to look ahead because of all the banquets we held. We constantly prepped for what’s coming. We cooked today’s food while preparing for the weeks ahead.
In the music industry, planning tours means mapping out routes, the lounges we visit, and the events we attend. Culinary also helped with events through live-action stations. As a private chef, I handled private parties. My experience being in front of people, from both the culinary and music sides, helps me at cigar events. It taught me how to talk to people and relate to them. You can feel a room’s vibe shift with just one word. Without those industries, I wouldn’t be able to adapt on the fly.
Being able to pivot at a moment’s notice is essential. You never know what’s going to happen. You might land a meeting with a lounge that cancels at the last second, and you have to pivot and head to the next lounge. Both industries taught me exactly what I needed to succeed in the cigar world, something Adam Paoletta emphasizes as key.
The creative side plays a big role, too. I created artistic dishes, wrote music, and produced records. Now I create artistically with my cigars. The blends, the bands, and the promo, everything tied to La Vega’s image, come from those experiences and reflect the vision Adam Paoletta brings to the brand.
The LaVega Brand
Cigar Life Guy: What is the most important thing to convey about a brand? How do you want the cigar world to perceive LaVega Cigar Co?
Aaron Paoletta: I think that answer is subjective, just like the taste of a cigar is subjective. When you smoke a LaVega cigar, you’re literally smoking something that took me forty years of my life to get to. You’re smoking my passion, not just for this industry, but for the ones I spent over a decade in before this. You’re smoking something I deeply care about. Just like with my food, I try to create the best cigar blend I can.
Are my cigars for everybody? No. But the big thing I want people to know is this: my tagline is, “Where every smoke creates a memory.” I don’t care if you’re smoking a LaVega, a Padron, or a Fuente. Enjoy yourself. Create memories with the people around you, because those are the ones you carry with you as you get older. Everything I’ve done has led me to this point. That’s the experience you get when you smoke a LaVega cigar, a philosophy Adam Paoletta stands behind.
Fellowship in the Cigar Community
Cigar Life Guy: What do you know now that you wish you had known when you started in the cigar industry?
Aaron Paoletta: I wish I knew how much it was going to cost (laughs). I knew it would get expensive, but I’m the kind of guy who doesn’t look back. I wouldn’t change anything because if I changed one thing, I wouldn’t be where I am today. The best thing I can say is that I wake up every day with zero expectations other than, “I just wanna have a good day.” Whatever life throws at me, I’m ready for it. I’m going to enjoy myself. I’ve lost too many family members and friends over the years, so stressing about the little things just isn’t worth it. Whatever comes, comes.
Cigar Life Guy: What is your favorite aspect of the cigar community?
Aaron Paoletta: Fellowship. I can’t stress that enough. It doesn’t matter if you’re black, white, brown, Democrat, Republican, religious, or non-religious; nobody cares. When you sit down in a lounge, especially in my lounge, because I hold to this standard, the only things we should talk about are the cigars in your hand and how you and your family are doing. That’s it. The fellowship in this community among the brothers and sisters of the leaf is intoxicating. It’s the one place we can go without being judged. Sure, we joke around. “Oh, you’re smoking an infused cigar,” or “Oh, you’re smoking a fifty-dollar cigar.” But at the end of the day, it’s all about the love of the leaf.
Passions Beyond Cigars
Cigar Life Guy: You seem to have a lot of talents beyond cigars. What is another one of your passions? What is something people wouldn’t know about you?
Aaron Paoletta: People might be surprised to learn that I can really hold my own in my shop, building and creating. Whether it’s woodworking or leatherworking, I can just be content. Put me on a mower with my headphones and my music, and I’m a happy camper. It’s not that I don’t love being around people, but I enjoy solitude where I can do my thing. I think a lot of that comes from my years in Vegas, where I was around thousands of people every day. It gets overwhelming. That brings me back to what I love about the cigar industry. When you walk into a lounge, you don’t face a crowd of thousands — you connect with a couple dozen dedicated, passionate people. It’s that quality of fellowship that I really enjoy.
In conclusion, Adam Paoletta’s journey reflects a passion for creativity, resilience, and community within the cigar world.
Follow Aaron on Instagram and check out the latest from LaVega here.
Photo credit: LaVega Cigars